Run-out gear of heavy ordnance.



A. T. DAWSON & J. HORNE.

BUN-OUT GEAR OF HEAVY ORDNANQE. APPLIGATIONIILED JUNE 3, 1913.

1 074 566 I Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

J5me:- #0 He COLUMBIA PLANEJGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, n. c.

IlNlTFQD STATES PATENT ARTHUR TREVOR DAW'SON, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, AND JAMES HORNE, OF

BARROW-IN-FUBNESS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF VEST- MINSTER, ENGLAND.

RUN-OUT GEAR OF HEAVY ORDNANCE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed December 26, 1912, Serial No. 738,559. Divided and. this application filed June 3, 1913. Serial No. 771,387.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR Tnnvon Dawson, knight, and Janus HORNE, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing, respectively, at Vickers House, Broadway, Westminster, in the county of London, England, and Naval Construction forks, Barrow-in-Furncss, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to the Run-Out Gear of Heavy Ordnance, of which the following is a specifi cation and is a division of application Serial No. 738,559, filed December 26, 1912.

This invention relates to run out gear of the kind in which a floating piston is employed in the air cylinder of the recuperator.

According to this invention we provide means for supplying a special liquid such as a mixture of glycerin and water) through the rod of the floating piston to a cavity between the leathers, and for subjecting this liquid to a higher pressure than exists in the air cylinder either at the liquid or air side of the floating piston. in this manner the compressed air in the air cylinder of the recuperator is rendered more secure against leakage past the leathers in the floating piston, more particularly in connection with recoil and run out gear in which water under pressure is used, the said water being probably not the most suitable liquid for the purpose of preventing such leakage.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4t are longitudinal sections showing different constructional forms of the invention.

F is the air cylinder, F the floating piston, and f its rod which projects through the rear wall of the cylinder.

In the constructional form of the invention shown by Fig. 1, the outer end of the rod f of the floating piston F is provided with a small hand pump F the actuation of which supplies the aforesaid special liquid under pressure to the cavity f between the U-leat-her packing rings of the piston. The liquid under pressure from the pump passes through a central hole f in the rod f* to a recess F in the floating piston and thence through radial holes f to the said cavity f". The hand pump may be of any suitable con struction and is preferably arranged to supply the liquid against a spring loaded piston to maintain a constant pressure to the cavity f between the leathers.

In the constructional form shown by Fig. 2 we cause the pressure of the liquid in the air cylinder F atthe rear of the piston F to act upon the piston F of an intensifier of known kind which we carry on the projeeting end of the rod f 0f the floating piston F the piston F serving to force the aforesaid special liquid (such as a mixture of glycerin and water) to the cavity f between the packing rings of the piston. The liquid is contained in the intensifier casing at the rear of the piston F and communicates by the hole f with the recess f in the floating piston. Another hole f formed in the rod f terminates at its rear end in front of the piston F and at its front end at the rear of the floating piston F Communication is thereby established between the liquid under pressure in the cylinder F and the intensifier so that this pressure causes the liquid in the intensifier to be forced through the channel f to the packing rings of the floating piston. A rod F extending from the piston F communicates at its outer end with the atmosphere through a suitable gland in the casing, the arrangement being on the well known differential principle to produce a greater pressure of liquid on the rear face of the piston than that on the front face, so that the pressure of the liquid supplied to the cavity 7 between the piston packing rings is greater than that of the liquid in the cylinder F. In the alternative form of the piston F shown by Fig. 3, four packing rings are employed, the two inner ones being subjected to the pressure of the special liquid as aforesaid while the front and rear rings are acted upon respectively bv the air on the air side and the liquid on the liquid side of the floating piston.

In the constructional form shown by Fig. 4, the intensifier piston F is disposed in a cavity F in the floating piston F The front face of this piston is subjected to the air pressure in the cylinder F, while the rod F on the rear face of the piston is in communication with the atmosphere by means of the hole f formed in the piston rod f. The cavity F at the rear of the piston F 7 contains the special liquid which by reason of the aforesaid arrangement is supplied to the packing rings at a pressure greater than that of the air in the cylinder F. The liquid is supplied to the cavity F through the hole f in the piston rod f. The piston F is as shown provided with packing rings supplied with the special liquid from the cavity 1 by holes in the piston.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In run out gear for ordnance the combination with the air cylinder, its floating piston and the packing rings of said piston, said piston being subjected to air pressure on one side and to liquid pressure on the other side, of means for forcing liquid into a cavity between said packing rings and for subjecting it to a pressure which is greater than that in the air cylinder.

2. In run out gear for ordnance, the com bination with the air cylinder, the floating piston, the projecting rod of said piston and the packing rings of said piston, said piston being subjected to air pressure on one side and to liquid pressure on the other side, of means carried by said projecting rod for forcing liquid into acavity between said packing rings and for subjecting it to a pressure which is greater than that in the air cylinder. 7

3. In run out gear for ordnance, the combination with the air cylinder, the floating piston, the projecting rod of said piston and the packing rings of said piston, said piston being subjected to air pressure on one side and to liquid pressure on the other side, of an intensifier piston in communication with the air cylinder and in contact with other liquid and means for establishing communication between said other liquid and a cavity between the packing rings of the floating piston.

4. In run out gear for ordnance, the combination with the air cylinder, the floating piston, the projecting rod of said piston and the packing rings of said piston, said piston being subjected to air pressure on one side and to liquid pressure on the other side, of a liquid chamber on the end of said projecting rod, a differential piston in said chamber, a rod of said differential piston projecting through the chamber into the atmosphere, a chamber in the floating piston communicating with liquid in the first men-- tioned chamber and with a cavity between the packing rings of the floating piston, and means for establishing communication be tween the larger face of the diflerential piston and the air cylinder.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. JAMES HORNE.

Witnesses to the signature of Arthur Trevor Dawson:

HENRY KING, ALFRED PEAKS. Witnesses to the signature of James Horne:

MARK G. ATKINSON, JOHN KEY CROSSLANDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

